Pacific Books

This book is a guide to cooking Indonesian food in the American kitchen. It begins with a brief introduction to culinary traditions in Indonesia and general cooking techniques, followed by some discussions of spices and coconut. The remainder of the book consists of recipes, organized by type of food. The chapters include: rice, satay (barbecue), soups and noodles, chicken, beef, fish, vegetables, fritters, garnishes and chips, eggs, sauces and dips, and sweets. At the end of the book are some menu suggestions for a rijsttafel (buffet), traditional herbal remedies, a glossary of ingredients, and an index. There are no photographs and very few illustrations.

While the recipes include a sampling from all the major islands (Java, Sumatra, Bali, Borneo, Sulawesi, and Madura), the focus is on Java, Sumatra, and Bali. Many of the recipes include a brief introduction explaining the cultural significance or context of the recipe. Marks has included recipes for many well-known dishes, such as nasi goreng (fried rice), satay (barbecue), rendang (coconut stewed beef), soto ayam (chicken soup), gado-gado (salad with many ingredients), and rujak (green mango salad). On the whole, the directions are clear and many of the recipes can be prepared without a lot of fuss. Marks frequently includes useful notes about which recipes can be made in advance and which freeze well. He also describes which spices are essential to a recipe, and which can be substituted without a great loss in flavor. The chapter on vegetables is titled "Vegetables for the Vegetarian," but this is a bit of a stretch, since recipes in this chapter frequently call for shrimp paste, shrimp, and one even uses ground beef.

I have quite a few Indonesian cookbooks to supplement what I've learned from my mom. This book covers all the basics that you might not find in other Indonesian cookbooks. By this I mean the staples that you might be able to order in a restaurant to supplement fancier dishes or would likely make yourself at home if you were living in Indonesia (e.g. lontong, rempeyek kacang, sambal bajak). While Marks and Soeharjo cover regional variations, they include them side-by-side in the book rather than grouped by region--very helpful for anyone just getting started in Indonesian cooking. I also love the short section on "Spices as Medicinal Remedies"--something almost always considered in Indonesia when deciding what dishes to prepare. You'll be able to make good use of this book if you love to cook Indonesian food.

As a "meat-n-potatoes" American woman married to an Indonesian man, I have been looking for a good Indonesian cookbook for 15 years. THIS IS IT. Most other Indonesian cookbooks are written in Dutch or suffer from metric measurements. Recipes from other multi-Asian cookbooks have resulted in bland semi-chinese food. But this book results in authentic Indonesian cooking. All dishes have both English and Indonesian names so I can cook my husband recipes from his childhood. Everything I have tried has turned out delicious. Also the menu planning tips for "rice tables" or banquets help with meal planning. Spices and common ingredients are listed in Indonesian, Latin botanical, English, and Chinese or Indian if applicable.

I was first introduced to Indonesian food at a wonderful Rijstaffel (rice table) restaurant in Utrecht, The Netherlands, in 1994. Once I returned to the States, I lost touch with this cuisine. Fortunately, I recently found The Indonesian Kitchen. The recipes are clearly written and easy to follow. The ingredients needed are relatively easy to find if you have any Asian groceries in your area (and since we have a few here in western Montana, you should be able to find them just about anywhere). My family loves the dishes I've prepared from this book, and it will get used often! Spice up your life and try the recipes in this book. You won't be sorry.

As is the case with many Thai/Asian cookbooks, make sure that you have a good Asian grocery store in your area. While many things can be substituted, most substitutes are inferior, and of course the end results will not be as amazing. Yes, ginger can be used instead of galangal, lime zest instead of kaffir lime leaves, foil instead of banana leaves, but you'd lose a lot in the process.

So far I have only cooked a few of the recipes in this book with good results, and the main difference I can find between Indonesian and Thai cooking, is that Indonesian food seems more subtle, while Thai bursts with big bold flavors. This isn't a bad thing, especially when you don't feel like having a spicy curry dish. It takes a little while to get used to that.

The weirdest thing about this book is that the author isn't afraid to do some bashing of cooks and restaurants she describes to have visited while researching the book. There are numerous references to overcooked fish, horribly made this-and-thats, but don't let that intimidate you. It's delish.

This is not only an excellence cooking book but also a very good traveling book. It gives you the briefing on each region of Indonesia and then presents its vanishing recipes with an easy-to- follow instruction. I am really enjoy reading this book.

This book is a comprehensive guide to the preparation of Indonesian regional foods, as well as the culture, history, and ingredients that make the food distinctly Indonesian. Sri Owen covers internationally known favorites from every region, as well as local favorites you might know only from your family or your travels there (martabak!). I love the notes with anecdotes, history, and techniques preceding each recipe. And for non-Indos or those not familiar with Southeast Asian ingredients, the glossary of ingredients and techniques provides short descriptions with suggestions for substitutions, as well as scientific, Indonesian, and English names. This book is a much-used reference in my Indonesian cooking.

I am Indonesian but grew up in the United States. It has been difficult for me to collect information, history and recipes from my native homeland, but I was so thrilled when I found this book. Sri Own gives history, methods and classic recipes that I remember my mother and family cooking for me as a kid. I wish that more people, Indonesians as well, would value the richness of the food, culture and culinary possiblibites and potential that Indonesian food has to offer.

Love the animated street map. Will not cover all of San Diego, but will hightlight the popular sights.

I don't think I'd go to a new vacation city without the MapEasy Guidemap. I've used them in Seattle, San Fran and now San Diego. They've helped me find interesting places to visit, tasty food and even parking!

This easy to read and informative map shows all the cool spots in San Diego. Great for first time vistors or locals who want to know more about what America's Finest City has to offer. Makes a great gift! Illustrations make this a unique map.

This Mapeasy shows the tourist where things are in the tourist-visited areas. It is not intended to help you find your way if you are lost, though the major routes are there. It has a detail of Downtown La Jolla, downtown San Diego, and Balboa park, with a blow-by-blow of all the shops and restaurants on Prospect and some the streets that head inland. This is the clearest rendering of Balboa Park I have seen yet and I have several other current San Diego travel helps.

It is made of a plastic material that is more durable than paper.
It is worth the current $6.95 amazon price.

A friend of mine had this guide for NYC during a trip together and I loved it!
Before traveling to San Francisco I decided to get it as it is very easy to use and has everything you need!
I traveled by myself and I did get lost once but it was my own fault. With the attached compass is very easy to find your way, specially when the guide even has bus routes! By following the guide I was able to enjoy most major attractions in only 3 days!
It also comes with a pen and a light in case you find yourself in need of those. Great little (it's tiny!) book that I'll definitely look for everytime I travel.

I've purchased several Inside Out maps in the past, and finally picked up the San Francisco one. I'm a San Francisco resident, and know my way around this city fairly well, so didn't really need it. However, I find it is a timesaver. I keep it handy just in case friends from out of town visit, and I need to take them sight-seeing. Instead of having to think of places to go, I just lend them this guide, and let them pick their own destinations!

My only complaint would be that this guide doesn't do the city of San Francisco justice. There are just too many jewels to list!

I bought this book for my girlfriend for Christmas when she first mentioned that she wanted to go to San Francisco some day. She loved it. I did too. The quality is great - crisp white paper, eye-popping color in the photos and handy gadgets builtin to the book - a small but working compass is built into the spine of the book. A pen slide neatly down the inside. And, coolest of all, a tiny LED flashlight is built into the other end of the pen. We used every one of the features of this book in the 3 days we were there. When we got turned around in Chinatown, the little compass pointed us in the right direction. The pen came in handy for making lists of what we wanted to see. And the tiny flashlight was the most useful of all when I was taking some pictures of the Golden Gate after dark and couldn't see the settings on the camera. So cool!
Of course, who buys a guidebook for the free pen? You want pictures. They're here. You want maps - the book is published by The Map Group and the maps are as good as you'd expect. Probably the neatest thing is the origami folding job that fits a 8 inch by 12 inch map behind the cover of a book that fits in your back pocket. It's really wild to see it pop out at you when you tug on the corner.
I own a whole shelf of guidebooks and this one really stands out for the small size, paper and photo quality and the cool gadgets and maps. The content is good, plenty of ideas to browse looking for one that grabs you. Of course it is limited by the small size of the book so if you're looking for city history or a comprehensive list of attactions, you'll need to supplement with a larger companion guide. But take this one with you as you walk. You'll be happy you did.

I bought this pocket sized guide while visiting San Francisco for the first time and it has been the most helpful useful map i have ever used. The popout maps are convenient and easy to read and understand. The overall size of the book is perfect for my small pockets and I used the included pen to write out the details of a fabulous Chinese restaurant i found in the city, using the notepages in the back. The guide part of the book includes some interesting facts about the city as well as a selection of the most popular tourist sites and a selection of restaurants and buisnesses. I would say this is a must have for any city it is available for. Especially for people like me who have no sense of direction.

This guide is great. Now whenever we go somewhere, I look for the InsideOut Guide for that city. The suggested itineraries and restaurant recommendations were right on target. The maps are easy to read and nice and small. The whole book fit in my smallest purse - so handy. This book made exploring the city seem more manageable.

We don't go out for Southeast Asian food since starting our cooking adventure through James McNair's beautifully laid out book. This book is a pleasure to peruse as the layout and photography are beautiful. But most importantly, the recipes are right on! I've made the pork with garlic sauce, various thai currys, and the lemongrass chicken and all have turned out restaurant quality - if you are in Thailand, much better than restaurant quality if you have the misfortune as myself to be currently living in the midwest. My next attempt will be the shrimp and pineapple yellow curry - I'm sure that it will also be fantastic.

After I got my wife hooked on Thai food she bought me a cookbook that was loosely translated from Chinese. Didn't work too well. I picked up James McNair's Southeast Asian book and love it. Like all of the other McNair volumes I own, I can start off with an easier recipe and work up to harder ones as my particular skills and confidences increase. You can't go wrong with this or any of McNair's books!

The day I received this cookbook I was so inspired I went out and bought all of the ingredients for and then prepared the "Thai Curry" recipe. It was excellent. I've made several other recipes from this book since and have yet to be disappointed. My family has become big fans of Asian food primarily because of my love of this book.

Be prepared to find what many inexperienced cooks may find as exotic ingredients. We're lucky to live by a huge Asian grocery store, so finding things like jasmine extract, kilfer lime leaves, fresh lemongrass, and other interesting-sounding bottled or dried flavorings was not difficult, but could potentially be.

I appreciate the sumptuous photos supplied with each recipe. Obviously there was a hefty budget for food stylists and photo shoots, but it really helps when you're trying to envision the finished product and the presentation.

James McNair's South East Asian cook book has a great selection of recipes from countries like Malaysia, Thailand,and Vietnam among others. The illustrations in the book are beautiful. Recipe's are easy to follow and very helpful. There are sections on the basics of South East Asian cooking, shopping guide for ingredients and useful equivalency tables. Each recipe is also preceded by a synopsis of the background of the dish. I highly recommend the book!

This summer 2005 I used this book to kayak the inside passage from Anacordis WA to Glacier Bay, AK. I left Anacordis on 18 June 05 and reached Glacier Bay on 25 Sept O5. This book was my guide the entire way. I tried every recommended campsite, and paddled the recommended route almost entirely, without stopping, for 1400 miles, and 3 1/2 months. So ... perhaps, in a small way, I am qualified to review this book.

The book's recommended route is impecable - perfect all the way from Anacordis to Glacier Bay, with one exception, as follows: Between Petersburg and Juneau AK, the author routes the kayaker along admiralty island to see a bear sanctuary, and then into a blind lagoon where the kayaker is forced to use a land trolley to transport his kayak across a peninsula. This route is a poor selection because 1)The bear sanctuary is impossible for kayakers to see because of beligerant forest service policies requiring advance reservations. No exceptions; 2)The blind lagoon's trolley has the rails disconnected at the north end, requiring the kayaker to CARRY his kayak on his back down a steep, high hill to finish the portage. Instead, kayakers buying this book would do best in ignoring the author's Petersburg to Juneau route, and instead paddle along the mainland shore, where multitudes of iceburgs float, where the second best whale-watching area in north america is, and best of the best, where the Tracy Arm Glacier is, arguable the finest, most impressive and actively calving glacier in all of Alaska. Why the author bypassed the miraculous Tracy Arm to NOT see a bear sanctuary that doesn't permit impromptu kayakers ... we can only guess.

Campsites: The author openly admits that he lost his notes on what his campsites were for much of the trip. Thus, the campsites recommended on the book's maps are anotated in the book with painful phrases paraphrased like "... the topo map shows this to be flat ground, so there maybe SHOULD be a campsite there...." OUCH. Speaking as a traveller who has visited all the author's recommended campsites, the author is right only better than half the time, and when the campsite he recommends turns out to be a swamp ... or indeed IS flat ground but is fronted by jagged rocks impossible to haul a kayak up the beach on ... that means the tired kayaker must continue paddling blindly and exhaustedly, perhaps with light failing and conditions deteriorating, looking for a campsite on his own. Now this wouldn't be so bad, except that for the vast majority of the inside passage, the mountains fall directly into the sea, leaving jagged cliffy coastlines where campsites appear only once every ten miles or so. Campsites are as scarce as hens teeth. So ... a tired kayaker having timed his paddling day to end at the author's recommended campsite ... has only a 50-50 chance of indeed finding shelter there, and will perhaps be forced to continuing paddling on ... and on ... and on.

Author's commentary and background research is superb. Many times I found myself teaching the locals about their own area by reading them this guidebook's commentary. The book is very readable and fun, yet is highly educational. The author's anecdotes had me rolling on my tent floor in laughter many times. Exceptions: The author comments that one can expect to see one to five bears a day along the inside passage. This is not so. I paddled 3 1/2 months, and only saw 6 bears, all of them black, none of them browns. Bears, and signs of bears, were few. Land wildlife is actually very rare along the entire inside passage ... but marine wildlife abounds. Only three places in 1400 miles did I see a deer, for example.

Overall, this book earns its 5 stars. But note the exceptions above to correct the book's few quirks. Hats off to the author on doing such a good job guiding us through such a demanding, lengthy, and thrilling journey.

Mr. Miller has a wealth of knowledge in kayaking, the passage, and the environment. He shares this with humor and historic accuracy. I particularly enjoyed his observations of human interaction. However, it would be a much more digestable read if I didn't have to use the dictionary every ten minutes to discover the meaning of the obscure language he uses throughout the book. Although I clearly understand the gist, the audience (me)... would be more interested in a text that had a manageable rhythm. Perhaps he is trying to prove he is a literate, intellectual outdoor person. I will use this book to help plan my own month long trip in the inside passage.

Miller's book is filled with delights on every page. I picked it up because I'm heading up The Passage by ferry for the first time and I thought a kayaker's perspective could be interesting. I was not disappointed! Every page is an entertainment. From the trials of flood and ebb tides to the ever-present danger from bears to the capsulated history about almost every one of the 3,000 islands along the way. I felt I was present.

This is not just about paddling, which is detailed to the max, but about economics; and the climate; and the sheer brutality as well as the compassion of the men and women who braved it;

As I go on my comfortable armchair cruise, I will now know not only what is in front of me but what transpired at this spot 100 years ago, 500 years ago and even how the surface of the earth came to this spectacular visage.

How the eminent naturalist, John Muir got his come-up-ence from an elderly chief; how the first settlers crossed the land bridge into the new continent; how the more recent "discoverers" overcame hardship and missed opportunities to enter into a struggle between nations that, although currently without bloodshed, is still continuing.

I received much more than I was expecting from "Kayaking...". I received a wealth of background which will make my coming trip a true "delight".

Full of history, regional politics, and local knowledge, this book is not just for kayakers. Anyone planning or dreaming of an Inside Passage voyage will enjoy this read. And yes, it has the maps,references, and all the hard-to-find details for actually doing this trip.

Imagine your mother has just died after giving birth. You go to the hospital to pick up your sister to find she has been taken by welfare workers and put in a home. Imagine you are that baby, that you grow up never knowing how badly your family missed you. Imagine being an older kid in the home, an 'aunt' to this 'special baby', only to later lose contact with her; yet another separation. This is the story of Doris Kartinyeri who spent the first 14 years of her life in a home for children taken from their Aboriginal families. But it is also the story of her sister Doreen and her 'antie' Lowtja O'Donoghue and the family she only later came to know. The ripples of Kartinyeri's pain can be see spreading through a wide community. Kartinyeri writes simply, directly and movingly of her experiences, her struggle to reconnect with her people and her battle with bi-polar disorder.

- Fiona Capp, Age

Imagine your mother has just died after giving birth. You go to the hospital to pick up your sister to find she has been taken by welfare workers and put in a home. Imagine you are that baby, that you grow up never knowing how badly your family missed you. Imagine being an older kid in the home, an 'aunt' to this 'special baby', only to later lose contact with her; yet another separation. This is the story of Doris Kartinyeri who spent the first 14 years of her life in a home for children taken from their Aboriginal families. But it is also the story of her sister Doreen and her 'antie' Lowtja O'Donoghue and the family she only later came to know. The ripples of Kartinyeri's pain can be see spreading through a wide community. Kartinyeri writes simply, directly and movingly of her experiences, her struggle to reconnect with her people and her battle with bi-polar disorder. - Fiona Capp, Age "Kick the tin" was a game Doris Kartinyeri played in the Colebrook Home for Aboriginal children. The aim was to hide from `it' then get back to the tin before being caught. In the middle of Kartinyeri, there is also a tin. This is the story of a courageous journey into the soul of the individual to find meaning and substance after the loss of family, culture and heritage.

Doris Kartinyeri is a Ngarrindjeri woman stolen from her family and institutionalised in a home for Aboriginal children as an infant. The recent report, Bringing Them Home, on the Stolen Generation documents the consequences of the government policy on the effects of removing children from their families. Doris Kartinyeri was born in 1945 into the Ngarrindjeri community. She was one of thousands of Australian Aboriginals stolen as an infant after her mother's death. Her childhood was spent at Colebrook home with other stolen Aboriginal children. At fourteen she began working as a domestic in a private minister's home for no wages. Her first paid job was as a domestic at Northfield Infectious Diseases Hospital. In her late teens Doris returned to her people, married and had children. She found her cultural Ngarrindjeri heritage and her voice as a advocate for the stolen generation.

Doris Kartinyeri is well known in public circles. The book includes reproductions of photographic and textual documents.

A true story of one woman's experience of being stolen from her Indigenous roots and culture. An extraordinary story of courage! The Doris Kartinyeris of this world fill me with hope.

It must be very sad for a child to use a pillow to cuddle at night for comfort and security but that is what Colebrook children did.

Doris KarTINyeri wasn't an orphan or a homeless child. She had her own loving family who was waiting for her to return. But when she was only a month old and her mother died, she was stolen from the hospital and placed there... at Colebrook Home with other stolen Aboriginal children.

'Kick the Tin' is a game Doris KarTINyeri played at the Colebrook Home. It is a story of a life that has been kicked around. It tells of an unforgettable experience about young Doris whose heritage had been taken from her. She was made to lose her culture and language.

Fourteen years at Colebrook Home, she felt no bond with her true family. She refused even her own sister which caused great pain for her natural family.

Many of the Stolen Generation didn't have a chance to come back to their loved ones, their families and their homes.

They missed out on knowing their language, culture, tradition and identity...

Imagine how upset you and your family would be if you didn't have any meaning for a word such as 'mother'. Doris' life was just like that.

For me, the real beauty of this book is watching the world through Doris' eyes. The way she appreciates everything that we take for granted is so eye opening! It is simply priceless! I want you to find out how good it is for yourself!

I used to think that the greatest thinker of all time was Kim Il-Sung. But now I realize what a mistake that was. His son--Kim Jong-Il--is an even more extraordinary talent.

I have never encountered such a tremendous intellect. I read this book nine times so far and I still don't think I have even brushed the bottom of its profundity.

You should buy this masterpiece right now. If you don't have the money, FINANCE IT! Your life is hollow until you experience the dear leader's thought.

Before I narrowly escaped, Kim Jong Il ordered my entire family put to death for owning a foreign radio.

But reading this makes up for all of that, Hail Great Leader!

It is a true blessing to be able to read and write for which I am eternally greatfull. One of the many perks of this ability is that it enables me to get in touch with novel ideas and great controversies. Reading this book by this great Korean leader and the best man of his country put me in true ecstacy. The depth of his work is so immense. Yet he is able to put the most complex problems of his country in so simple terms that one begins to wander if his career would be better off as a writer or a philosopher. How he explains the evolution of mankind, the importance of science and steel production is pure magic. I recommend that all young intellectuals as well as workers should carefully read this work. Forward to the triumph of socialism!

Proof (if any were needed) that high tessituras and hardline Stalinism can make for a fruitful cocktail. Comrade Kim Jong Il, the Dear Leader ™, is not only the rightfully crowned King of Socialism but also a formidable opera queen in his own right. The chapter "Charlotte Church: Crossover as the Dialectical Logic of Late Capitalism, or Just Some Cocky Welsh Teenybopper? " is worth the price of admission alone. The best work of its kind since Pol Pot's "Maria Callas: The Bel Canto Years".

See abov

The recipes in this book hold up to the high quality of food served in the restaurant. I have spent many mornings munching on fresh homemade scones, and my palate waters at the thought of the many varied deserts inside. Every recipe is a treasure in itself, and no kitchen can truly be complete without them.

The Kingston Hotel Cafe has been my family and friends favorite place for the best food on the Kitsap peninsula. Now to be able to recreate all my favorite recipes from Braided Salmon and Halibut with Sorrel sauce to the Hazelnut Torte and all her wonderful soups is very exciting. The cook book is fabulous as is the author who has created it. Thanks Judith!!!

This cookbook is a delight, mixing fresh, seasonal ingredients in surprising but always appetizing ways -- and best of all, using recipes that are not arcane or terribly time-consuming (but do expect to spend a fair amount of time chopping). My personal favorites are two unusual summer dishes, one a fruit gazpacho and the other a hot blueberry soup with coconut milk and lime. Yum! I *will* seek out the restaurant when next I'm in the Pacific Northwest.

A great descreption of what life is like in the Alaskan Bush

When I first ordered this book, I was looking for an ethnography of the Inupiat. I didn't look that closely at the description of the book, but since it had a five star rating, I still bought it. The day it arrived, I started reading it and found at that what I received was not what I was expecting...however I still couldn't put it down. Jans' stories of life with the Inupiat, are amazing.

While it isn't a traditional ethnography, Jans still gives some amazing insight into the lives of the Inupiat. His descriptions are colorful and entertaining while still giving a sense of the seriousness of the intrusion of mining and modern culture on the traditional subsistence of the Inupiat. There is a degree of fear as to what will happen to them as society marches onward into the remote regions of Alaska and provides a sense of urgency of protection for these people.

If you are remotely interested in what life is like above the arctic circle, get this book. Don't think about it, just get it.

This February, I was sitting in the library at the Selawik school -- just above the Arctic Circle, population 700; I was there as part of a program that sent authors to the Alaskan bush -- and I asked the librarian for a book recommendation. She went straight to THE LAST LIGHT BREAKING. I leafed through it and then bought it when I got home.

My favorite piece in this collection is "Beat the Qaaviks," Jans' account of an Arctic basketball game, but they're all excellent. I'm hoping to return to Selawik, and to take a friend with me. I gave him THE LAST LIGHT BREAKING to whet his appetite.

If you're reading this, you're already thinking about buying the book. Just buy it. It's great.

This collection of essays are the author's descriptions and reflections on aspects of life in rural Alaska. It's not a story of pioneering or stone age lifestyles, as the title "living among the eskimos" might suggest. Rather, Jans gives a vivid picture of how the lives of rural Alaskans are like a collision of the old and new worlds. It is a world of snowmachines, TV, and basketball, and caribou hunting. Nick Jans lived in the villages of northwest Alaska for decades. The reader benefits from his sense of the most striking or moving experiences he has collected and his perfect, crystal clear prose. I came away with the sense that Jans loves Alaska and when you read the book you can feel it yourself. I also highly..HIGHLY recommend his more recent book that incorporates stunning photography with essays.